Judge Radiant Cookware perfect for the modern home cook.

These beautiful red coloured pans are part of the new Judge Cookware Radiant range designed to satisfy the demands of the modern home cook. The collection is made up of a 16cm milk pan, a 26cm crepe pan, a 24cm chefs pan, 22/24/26 cm frying pans and two stir fry wok type pans – 24/26cm.

I tested the pans with some home cooking and top Scottish chef

Mark Heirs also helped me put them though their paces at the recently held Scotland’s Salmon Festival.

Over the two days the chefs used the chef pan and the 24cm frying pan to cook a wide range of salmon dishes. The Judge Radiant Cookware range is made of thick aluminium and is coated with PFOA Teflon Radiance. This combination provides speedy and most importantly an even heat transfer making it ideal for fast efficient cooking. This really suited the type of food the chefs were cooking and of course one essential was crispy skin on the salmon. It’s easy to see why this range is particularly suited to the modern cook. The chefs pan was used extensively for many dishes; sauces, stir frying and braising and the chefs were impressed with the general performance.

I also tested the pans in the Wee Pinch of Sugar kitchen and as you can see from the images the results were good

Perfect for cooking salmon and of course a crispy skin is essential.

Golden and crispy skin on chicken without sticking to the pan.

Brisket seared and browned with the minimum amount of oil before going in the oven for a slow pot roast.

Features

All pans in the range have matching red soft grip handles, are oven and dishwasher safe up to 150c and of course come with the Judge 25 year guarantee with 10 year on the non stick coating.

Prices

Judge Radiant are a great value for money range – on line prices start at £17 for the 20cm frying pan and the multi use chefs pans pan can be found at £23.

Judge Cookware supplied the for this review. all opinions expressed are my own.

Good coffee, especially in the morning is essential in our house and over the years the Gillon boys have amassed a collection of different types of coffee makers. In addition to the standard coffee machines, they have a portable espresso maker, an aero press, an electric percolater, slow drip coffee maker and a bean to cup machine. Interestingly I’m told they are all essential and the Stellar espresso maker is a welcome addition.

Then there’s the essential top quality coffee and sadly as their coffee making skills improved, I was banished from ever grinding beans or making coffee.

The stylish polished steel pot holds 400ml and makes 6 cups. It’s suitable for use on all hobs types and the phenolic handle remains cool when in use.

It’s so easy to use and the six cup capacity makes it an ideal size for serving a crowd. The three part pot works exactly like other espresso makers. Fill the base with water, add finely ground coffee to the holder, screw the base and jug back together and its ready to make perfect coffee.

Expresso Cups

The stylish double walled espresso glasses from Judge Cookware are the perfect match for the espresso pot and will have so many other uses. I loved Serving affagato in them but they’ll also work well with other small desserts and starters. The glasses have a thermally insulated air pocket construction so no need for coasters. Hot drinks stay hot and the exterior remains cool.

One of my favourite quick desserts is affagato and the capacity of the Stellar espresso maker is ideal, especially if there’s 6 to be made

Afagatto is so quick and easy to assemble

Place a scoop of ice cream in a coffee cup and pour over a shot of espresso. Serve sprinkled with chocolate curls, chopped hazelnuts of crushed amaretto biscuits.

I’m not sure when I started amassing a collection of pots and pans, but what I have come to realise it the fact that I cannot help myself when it comes to a good pan. I’ve brought them home from holidays abroad, got them as presents and more recently I’ve been happily reviewing pans for top cookware company Stellar Cookware. Good pans are essential in a kitchen.

This month I’ve been testing out two of Stellars’s Rocktanium pans in the Wee Pinch of Sugar kitchen and if you’re looking for new quality non stick pans then this review is for you.

Stellar Rocktanium – Stylish, Versatile, Durable

The stylish and versatile pans have a tough, non stick coating with a distinctive and stylish ‘stone’ appearance. Thanks to a new titanium based formula, Quantanium, this PFA-free coating gives a scratch resistant surface that is claimed to be more durable than conventional non stick.

There are five frying pans in the Rocktanium range and they are available in the following sizes – 20/24/26/28/30cm.

The 24 cm sauté pan comes with a stylish vented glass lid.

The Rocktanium range has been created from thick aluminium with an induction base to ensure even heat distribution; they are suitable for use on any hob type and are oven safe up to a temperature of 210c.

I put the pans to the test on my induction hob with a number of different foods and was impressed by how well they performed. In addition to the non stick performance and versatility I was very impressed by the heat distribution and pans ability to hold heat.

The images below are from actual dishes I cooked for family meals.

The non stick coating is ideal for breakfast frittata and the metal handle allows for the dish to finish cooking in the oven.

When cooking fish with skin on in a stainless steel it can be difficult to get a nice crispy skin that doesn’t stick to the pan. The ‘Rocktanium’ surface was ideal and the salmon cooked with perfect crispy skin and no problems with sticking.

The saute pan is a real winner on versatility. It’s become a real favourite in the kitchen as it lends itself to so many different dishes. With its stylish stone finish it’s also a perfect oven or hob to table serving dish.

I cook a lot of fish in stir fry recipes and curries and again the saute pan is a good choice for cooking this type of one pan dish with no risk of the ingredients sticking to the pan.

Pasta sauces are another quick favourite in our house and the saute pan came out on top for this. Also ideal for adding the pasta straight into the pan to serve.

Browning meat for casseroles is essential and I prefer to do this in a non stick pan rather than a stainless steel pan. No chance of that happening with the ‘Rocktanium’ and also the added advantage of using less oil.

We used the Stellar Rocktanium pans in the Marine Harvest Kitchen Theatre at the recently held Scottish Salmon Festival. Over two days the saute pan and the frying pans performed well with some heavy duty road testing at high temperatures and the chefs were very impressed with the performance. Even after constant cooking and washing by five chefs, the pans looked like new.

The two Stellar Rocktanium pans have been well tested both in the Wee Pinch of Sugar Kitchen and by the Chefs at the Scottish Salmon Festival and did not disappoint.

Stellar Rocktanium come with a lifetime guarantee and a five year non stick guarantee.

Sri Lanka: The Cookbook

The say love conquers all and in Sri Lanka: The Cookbook, husband and wife duo, Prakash Sivanathan and Niranjala Ellawalla’s love for the food of their homeland shines. This is their first book and it brings together feather-light hoppers, fiery sambols, subtly spiced curries, pickles, chutneys and unique ‘vada’ (fried snacks).

For 8 years the couple ran the award winning Sri Lankan restaurant, Elephant Walk in Hampstead, North London and have gone on to set up a new food company – Coconut Kitchens. The popular cookery teachers now offer corporate cooking events, home cookery lessons and other events, including hosting regular workshops and supper clubs

The book contains beautiful images from their own travels and the vibrant recipes celebrate not only the islands ingredients but also it’s history, it’s culture and it’s people. Uniquely, the recipes in the book combine the authors Tamil and Sinhalese cultures to give an insight into Sri Lanka’s culinary heritage. Each recipe has its own characteristic; there’s influences from the southern and eastern states of India, but there’s also traces of idiosyncratic traces of the foods and countries that have colonised the island.

Sinhalese tend to use more spices such as cardamom, clove and black pepper and many follow the principle that ‘food is medicine; medicine is food’.

In contrast, the Tamils tend to use more chilli and say there are 6 tastes; sweet, sour, bitter, spicy, salty and astringent, and every meal should be a harmonious balance of all.

A useful glossary outlines some of the unusual ingredients used in the recipes and all are readily available in Asian stores or specialist Sri Lankan suppliers. Each recipe has a colour key, denoting whether it’s Sinhalese or Tamil.

With 100 recipes, the book has an excellent mix of breakfasts, vegetarian, fish and shellfish. The cow is a sacred animal in Hinduism so beef doesn’t widely feature but there are excellent recipes for chicken, lamb, mutton, wide boar and pork.

“My wife and I have lived in London for many years, but I was born a Tamilin the Jaffna peninsula in the north of Sri Lanka, and Niranjala is a Sinhalese from the south. Between us we have a deep understanding and love of the unique styles of cooking that together makes up our island’s cuisine. We hope this provides a record of Sri Lankan history and diversity for generations to come.”

-Prakash K Sivanathan

Drilled prawns – ‘This is a bar food originally served in drinking clubs during the era of the British Raj, and it has found its way into the homes and hearts of Sri Lankan’s. As a nation we’re also fond of devilling g squid, cuttlefish, pork, potato…you name it.”

Achchura – Date and shallot pickle. “In Sri Lanka many vegetables are turned into zingy pickles, from the carrot to the exotic ambarella sour plum. Here, the sweet, soft dates are a beautiful match for the sharp shallots, creating a spicy side dish that will enliven even the simplest platefuls.”

The book is a welcome addition to the range of South East Asian cook books that have been published recently and will appeal to cooks and chefs looking for something different when cooking with spices.

Sri Lanka : The Cookbook is published by Frances Lincoln. Price £20. Images by Kim Lightbody.

Disclaimer Francis Lincoln provided the copy of the book for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Stellar Cookware Copper Kitchen Gadgets

Copper kitchen gadgets and accessories are on trend at the moment and Stellar Cookware’s new stylish collection will be a popular addition to any kitchen.

Exceptional Quality

I’m a regular reviewer for Stellar and these are exceptional quality and of course come with the Stellar lifetime guarantee. The attractive collection combines the attraction of copper with the unsurpassed functionality needed by today’s cooks. The collection is also dishwasher safe.

Essential Pieces of Kit

A reliable peeler and garlic crusher are essential pieces of kit in any kitchen The copper finish and soft touch handles gives this gorgeous collection a smart trendy look that doesn’t detract from the durability of the gadgets.

Both gadgets performed well and are now used regularly in the Wee Pinch of Sugar kitchen. I really like the soft touch curved handles which provides for a very comfortable grip, a necessary feature in my opinion, especially when prepping larger quantities of fruit and vegetables.

The classic style peeler has a sturdy blade and tackled the chore of removing the peel of potatoes, root vegetables and fruit with ease.

The garlic crusher is robust and I like the fact that there is no real overflow from the garlic cloves when pressure is applied. It produces a finely crushed garlic and unlike many crushers I have owned, it is easy to clean.

The remainder of the collection includes, a y shaped peeler, nut cracker, pizza cutter and and an ice cream scoop.

Prices start at £4.50 for the copper peeler with the most expensive being the the corkscrew at just over £9. Further information on the Copper Kitchen Gadgets collection and other products from Stellar Cookware.

Product Code

Stellar Copper Gadgets Prices

ASP

SE05

Stellar Soft Touch Gadgets, Copper Corkscrew

9.38

SE08

Stellar Soft Touch Gadgets, Copper Garlic Press

9.00

SE09

Stellar Soft Touch Gadgets, Copper Y Shaped Peeler

4.50

SE11

Stellar Soft Touch Gadgets, Copper Nut Cracker

7.88

SE16

Stellar Soft Touch Gadgets, Copper Pizza Cutter

5.38

SE21

Stellar Soft Touch Gadgets, Copper Peeler

4.50

SE25

Stellar Soft Touch Gadgets, Copper Ice Cream Scoop

5.00

Stellar cookware supplied the gadgets for review in this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

Chef’s Pan range from Stellar cookware is a new addition to the company’s growing range of top quality cookware and are great multi tasker pans. I’ve been testing out 2 pans in the Wee Pinch of Sugar kitchen and I’ve been more than impressed, not only with the quality and features but the versatility of the pan for cooking a wide range of dishes.

Chef’s Pan Features

The pans come in 3 sizes, 16cm, 20cm and 24cm. This new collection is made up to high spec, heavy duty 18/10 stainless steel and is suitable for use on all hob types. Each has a wide flat base and tall sloping sides which allows for the pan to take on the role of saucepan, frying pan and wok. Ideal if you have a small kitchen with limited storage space as the pans comfortably nest inside each other. I tested the 2 larger pans and gave them top marks for cooking a variety of dishes.

As you will see from the images the pans are being well used for everyday cooking and also for serving straight to the table. Perfect as a multi tasking pan and also live up to Stellar Cookware’s strapline, ‘small pans with big ideas.’

With prices starting at £20 for the 16cm pan, the pans are excellent value for money and will be a worthwhile addition to any kitchen.

I regularly cook for one and the smaller 20cm pan with it’s 850ml capacity has been more than adequate for this.

The largest pan at 24cm with a 1.4L is an ideal size for family meals such as curries, stir fry and pasta dishes.

Paella is up there with favourite dishes in the Wee Pinch of Sugar kitchen and over the past 30 years or so I’ve owned several but admittedly I never really found the perfect pan. The traditional non expensive pans were never a success and eventually I resorted to using a stainless steel saute pan.

The paella pan was the obvious choice.

This range of tri ply cookware has been designed to the chef’s strict tolerances and in terms of outstanding performance and control, it did what it said on the box . The three layers of metal produce a slightly thicker pan and unlike many stainless steel pans the base is not just stuck on to the bottom. This design ensures that the entire pan heats up. Heat radiates up the side of the pan this avoids the problem of food burning on the base of the pan.

I tested the pan by making my usual paella recipe. Much has been written about how to cook the perfect paella and even the Spanish disagree on the best way to cook and what produce should be used although there’s no disagreement over the main ingredient, rice.

It’s also said that a wide pan with a thin base should be used. However, The lamina paella pan is a deeper pan and with the entire pan heating up I found that all the rice cooked consistently and in a shorter time than usual. This also meant that it was ideal for layering up ingredients like the shellfish which was added near the end of cooking. There’s little or no stirring when cooking paella and with previous pans I often found the rice didn’t cook evenly without moving or stirring the pan. Being oven safe it gives the option of finishing the dish in the oven.

The paella pan is 28cm which is the ideal size for the largest zone of my induction hob.

The Lamina range is suitable for all hob types. All are dishwasher and oven safe and come with the Stellar Cookware lifetime guarantee.

Included in the range are saucepans in a selection of sizes, frying pans, stockpot, sautee pan, saucier, a wok and of course the paella pan featured in this review.

The paella pan is currently on sale at £68.

Coming soon. Watch out for the paella recipe used to to test this pan.

Stellar Cookware provided the pan for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Loch Fyne Smoked Salmon

Mention Loch Fyne and several things come to mind; beautiful scenery, oysters, and of course smoked salmon. It’s synonymous with them all. Loch Fyne Oysters has a fantastic location right on the edge of the loch on the west coast of Scotland and it’s here that the company’s top quality smoked salmon is produced.

The restaurant, shop, and smokery have become landmarks and a favourite stop for tourists on the A82 just outside Inveraray. My advice if you’re likely to be passing is to have a cool bag and ice packs in the car although staff at the shop will happily provide a bag and ice for your shopping.

The salmon from Loch Fyne Oysters is sourced from the crystal clear waters on the loch and other deep sea water lochs in the Scottish west highlands.

Sourced from the crystal clear waters on loch Fyne and other deep sea water lochs in the west highlands.

It’s dry cured on the premises using traditional methods before being smoked over oak shavings from aged whisky barrels.

Dry cured in sugar and salt

The company produce several types of smoked salmon including a classic and the more intense flavoured Bradan Orach, Gaelic for golden salmon. The classic is smoked for a minimum of 12 hours whereas the Bradan Orach is smoked for a minimum of 24 hours.

Smoked over oak shavings from aged whisky barrels

I recently reviewed a selection of smoked salmon for Loch Fyne and with the brand being a favourite in our house it was no surprise that we gave it top marks on taste and quality. Two of the varieties were flavoured smoked salmon and the third was the Kinglass fillet. I served the salmon on platters as starters with a selection of oatcakes and sourdough bread.

Citrus Smoked Salmon

The light and delicate flavour of the Citrus smoked salmon has all the flavour of the classic smoked but with the added freshness of the citrus and the earthy notes of the black pepper. Ideal at anytime of the year although it will be perfect as a spring or summer starter or as a canape with pre dinner drinks.

Whisky Marinated Salmon

The whisky marinated smoked salmon is very pleasantly flavoured with Glengoyne single malt whisky and I enjoyed the subtle background smoky characteristics. It didn’t overpower the salmon and I would also serve this as a starter perhaps before a more hearty beef or venison casserole.

Kinglass fillet

The Kinglass fillet is a real favourite of mine as I like the versatility of slicing the salmon to suit whatever I’m serving. This particular cut is taken from the centre cut of the classic salmon and is smoked for a minimum of 12 hours and therefore has a more delicate flavour. It’s perfect for canapes, starters or as part of a sharing platter.

Bradan Rost fillet

Another favourite of mine is the Bradan Rost fillet, Gaelic for roasted salmon. It’s kiln roasted and this produces a smoky aromatic flavour with a moist flaky texture.

Bradan Rost has smoky aromatic flavour

Delicious served hot or cold as a starter or use in hot dishes such as fish pie or pasta. And, as can be seen from the pictures below, it’s perfect served for breakfast with poached eggs

James Martin

James Martin stepped out of the kitchen last night and onto the stage for the opening of his first live tour. The 35 date countrywide tour, Plates, Mates and Automobiles kicked off at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall and the ever popular celebrity chef was on top form. The fans were out in force and an enthusiastic crowd of around 2000 gave him a huge welcome.

TV show’s and books

It’s been 20 years since the young, fresh faced, bandanna wearing chef first graced our TV screens on Ready Steady Cook. Since then he has become a firm favourite with viewers and has gone on to present a number of highly successful shows including Saturday Kitchen, James Martin Home Comforts and Operation Hospital Food. He’s also the author of 15 best-selling and award winning cookbook.

If there were first night nerves they didn’t show and despite a few technical hitches the popular and down to earth Martin charmed the audience for over 2 hours in the cooking, talking and speed extravaganza.

A comical introduction on the big screen by comedian Johnny Vegas gave the crowd a flavour of what to expect; the expectation of more than just cooking was in the title, Plates, Mates and Automobiles brought three of the chef’s loves to life.

Sharing top billing in the mate stakes was his right hand man and sous chef, Chris Start. Between them it was a great double act with Start’s almost silent approach being highly entertaining. Martin spoke warmly of their long term friendship and as mates go it was clear that this was a good mate. As cooking demonstrations go it was well orchestrated between the two chefs, and, as the show got underway the pair comfortably maintained the upbeat routine with plenty of rousing cheers from the crowd. Nine recipes cooked up in two hours with plenty of added humour but interspersed with tales from his childhood and life as a young chef.

He was on form when it came to the food and hygiene police. The bane of his life apparently, a reference to the complaints he regularly receives on Saturday kitchen for not washing his hands. A witty and unhygienic on stage rebellion got the thumbs up from the audience.

Cooking and mates aside, cars, mainly fast cars are his other love and a quick spin on the video screen gave an insight into his world of Ferrari’s, Formula One racing cars and Mercedes. It was a peek into his expensive indulgences; the trappings of a successful career, but he also acknowledged the public and the viewers who have supported his career, particularly those who buy his books and cookware. The author of 15 best-selling and award winning cookbook, James also endorses several kitchen products including the James Martin saucepans and knives with Stellar Cookware.

Every show needs a good finale and Martin stepped out of his comfort zone to confirm that he was indeed a man of many talents. The audience had been promised a night of surprises and with pots and pans aside he ended the show on a musical note. James Martin as you’ve never seen him before. Guitar in hand, supported by another mate, his guitar teacher of several weeks. There was a song and although singing is obviously not his strong point, the audience loved his musical performance and even gave him a standing ovation. Very entertaining although after the musical finale giving up the day job will surely not be an option.

It was definitely a night of fun, the banter with the crowd was excellent and for a first live tour opening night, James Martin definitely served up success on a plate.

The Stellar griddle pan was given a good road test in the Wee Pinch of Sugar kitchen. This particular pan is part of the Stellar Cast range and has the added feature of a ceramic coating, making it an ideal non stick cooking surface.

To put the pan through it’s paces, I cooked several different foods and was impressed with the overall results. Scallops were perfectly cooked, one minute on each side and had the perfect charring. It was ideal for bacon and held 10 rashers of bacon, a bonus if everyone is queuing for a bacon roll.

Two things I regularly griddle are steaks and salmon and both cooked perfectly; nice crisp skin on the salmon and the steak was cooked to perfection, charred on the outside and rare inside.

Compared to other griddle pans I use, the Stellar pan has are several appealing features. The 28 x 28 cm pan is the perfect size if cooking for 4 people. It fits perfectly onto the largest cooking zone of my induction hob and although it’s a large pan, it’s not particularly heavy. The pan is suitable for all hob types and the instructions contain extra information about cooking on induction hobs due to the efficient transfer of heat. Heating the pan gradually is recommended and the pan should never be heated using the boost function unmonitored. There’s nothing unusual about this and having used an induction hob for several years, it is the way I would normally heat any griddle or frying pan.

Other features include:-

High ridges add colour and seared lines to steaks, fish and vegetables

Easy draining with scalloped pouring lips

Stainless steel cast rivetted handle

Easy to clean and dishwasher safe.

Other products in the Stellar Cast range can be viewed on the Stellar Cookware website.